What are qualia?

Qualia are how different mental states feel to a person who is experiencing those mental states. For example; there is a distinct difference between what it is like to view a very bright colour, and what it is like to view a very dull colour. Qualia are not, however, the same as perceptual experiences, but instead correspond with them. Perceptual experiences are taken to represent the way the world is, whereas qualia are simply how a perceptual experience feels to an individual.